1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to chairs and seats with a handle. More specifically, the invention relates to a handle for nonoccupant use. The invention is a supplemental support that cooperates with the handle of an infant carrier, which in addition to being a basic infant carrier, may be a combined infant carrier and infant car seat. The supplemental support provides a reception and contact area for the arm of an individual carrying the infant carrier. The supplemental support offers selective application to the handle for different users and improved ergonomics.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Infant carriers are portable seats or beds for infants and often are designed to safely contain and transport infants weighing from four to thirty pounds. The typical infant carrier is formed of a plastic shell that is configured as the base for a seating and sleeping surface. Side walls and various types of straps are present to retain the infant against rolling out of the carrier. A pad provides a comfortable intermediate layer between the infant and the plastic shell. In order to provide for portability, the manufacturer supplies a bail style handle. The user may either hold the handle at arm's length or carry this handle over one arm, with the handle resting across the user's forearm.
Many infant carriers can be used as both a car seat and a carrier for the infant, without requiring time consuming transfer between two such devices when the infant is entering or exiting a car. Those infant carriers that are convertible into a car seat are expected to comply with applicable laws and regulations. The infant carrier might include a retaining strap that both secures the infant within the carrier for non-car-seat usage and is suited for use as an approved automotive safety belt, thus legally enabling the carrier to be used as a car seat for the infant. When used as car seats, known infant carriers are designed to snap into a stand that is secured to the car seat by a normal seat belt in the car. To be configured for use as a car seat, the handle of the infant carrier is folded back, out of the way in case of an accident. In preparation for leaving the car, the handle is raised to the carry position.
Although infant carriers primarily are constructed of light weight materials such as plastics, when the infant is present in the infant carrier, it can be too heavy for the user to comfortably carry with the bail-style handle resting across one arm. Contributing variables include the size and weight of the individual infant and the arm and body strength of the parent or other user attempting to lift the carrier.
Designers appear to be aware that infant carriers can be uncomfortable to carry. Some manufacturers pad the handle by a wrap-around sleeve. The handle often is adjustable in its swing between head to toe ends of the carrier shell. A recent U.S. patent application pub. no. 2008/0258516 suggests the placement of soft corner pads on the handle at the top corners of a squared-off bail handle. Using such a corner pad places the user's forearm in the nearside top corner. In its U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,044, a large manufacturer, Century Products, shows a squared-off bail handle with a W-shaped. top bar that is centrally cushioned. When the user carries the carrier, the W-shape automatically locates the user's forearm in the nearside top corner of the handle.
Curiously, both of the aforementioned disclosures in the Patent Office show and evidently encourage the user to routinely support the infant carrier by one forearm, with that forearm located at the near-side, squared-off corner. This location of the forearm at the near side of the bail quite clearly hangs the infant carrier in a laterally out-of-equilibrium position, such that the infant carrier has a tendency to roll sideways, away from the user, to return to equilibrium. The user's only clear compensation against sideways roll is to hug the carrier against the user's torso or juxtaposed leg as a stop. Thus, at least in some infant carriers, the user is placed under dual stress, both supporting the direct weight of the carrier and compensating against the tendency to roll.
Some users compensate for the manufacturer's design by hand carrying the carrier by the handle with the user's arm extended and the carrier against the leg. The user grips the top-side of the handle, nearer to the leg. Some carriers have Z-shaped or rotating handles in the top-center of the handle. These designs require the hand to be further from the leg, putting more pressure on the leg and causing more bounce and sway for the infant.
It would be desirable to provide a carrier handle that improves weight distribution and general comfort. The invention provides an elongated, padded, supplemental support that attaches to the handle, spreads the weight of the carrier over a wider part of the forearm and allows the user to control equilibrium and any tendency to roll. This invention also engages the carrier with additional portions of the arm in order to improve the ergonomics and comfort of engaging an infant carrier over one arm.
It would be desirable for an infant carrier to offer optimization for the user to support the carrier as personally preferred.
It would also be desirable for the user to have the option to locate a supplemental handle on the typical bail or other manufacturer-supplied carrying device.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the apparatus of this invention may comprise the following.